Summary

The favorite was Portugal’s Nelson Évora, who had won the 2007 World Championships. Jumping fifth in the early rounds of the final, Évora led off with 17.31 (56-9½) but two jumpers later was surpassed by Britain’s Phillips Idowu, who bounded 17.51 (57-5½). Évora responded in round two with 17.56 (57-7½), but Idowu re-took the lead in round three with 17.62 (57-9¾), Évora fouling. Leevan Sands (BAH) moved into second place with his third effort of 17.59 (57-8½). In round four, Évora got off the gold medal winner, 17.67 (57-11¾), as Idowu and Sands could not improve their earlier marks, winning the silver and bronze medals respectively. No Americans qualified for the final, continuing the poor US performance in the jumps, in which only one American qualified for a final – pole vaulter Derek Miles.

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